Feeding device for printing-presses



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. C. G. HARRIS 8v J. P. MGNUTT. FEEDING DEVICE FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

Patented Oct. 12,1897.

ra |||||||||I||||||| llllmllllllllnlnlli|l 1%/ mmm 11 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. v G..G. HARRIS & J. P. MCNUTTl` PEEDING DEVISE POR PRINTING PRESSES. 110,591,649. Patented Oct. 12,1897.

. im, 91111)/ ll 1u: mums Psrsns oo. Fumo'uwo.. WASHINGTON u c l UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

CHARLES e. HARRIS, oE NILES, AND JoHN E. MoNUTT, oE WARREN, o'HIo,

ASSIGNORS TO THE HARRIS AUTOMATIC PRESS COMPANY,

OHIO.

or NILES,

FEEDING DEVICE FOR PRINTING-PRESSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 591,649, dated October 12, 1897.

Application filed September 12, 1896. Serial No. 605,611. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern,.-

Beit known that we, CHARLES G. HARRIS, of Niles, and JOHN F. MCNUTT, of Warren, in the county of Trumbull and State of Ohio,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Printing-Presses; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which 1o it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention contemplates certain new and useful improvements in feeders for printin g-presses. Asis well known, it is frequently required that envelopsV be printed on their r 5 backs or reverse sides, and while several feeders have heretofore been produced for feeding envelops to a press so that the imprint will be on the face of each envelop, yet we are not aware of any mechanical feeder for zo supplying one envelop at a time so that the imprint will be on the back or reverse side.

The object of our present invention is to provide a simple and highly eflicient feeder for mechanically feeding envelops one ata time to a printing-press with the back or reverse side facing upward to receive the im print of the type.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the 3o claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis aview in perspective. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is a side elevation. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on line 4 4L, Fig. 2. Fig.

3 5 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the traveler for operating the ejector. Fig. 6 is a transverse section on line 6 6, Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the supporting-frame of the feeder, the same comprising two side pieces a and two cross-rods a a2, which firmly hold said sides in fixed relation to each other. The bottom edges of these sides are formed with grooved iianges as, which are designed to fit snug on suitable side rods (not shown) of the press-frame, the same being firmly held by screws o4. To the of rod a', two rearwardly-extended inclined rods h3, rigidly secured to said block, and a tongue b4, projecting from the lower end of the latter and supporting a rubber block. b5, held in place by a plate 196.

C is the rest or supportA for the envelops, the same comprising au inclined plate D, adjustably secured on rod b', at the center thereof, by a collar d. Attached to the plate D, and extending parallel therewith and perpendicular to and adjacent rod b', isa flat plate d', which aids in supporting the pile or stack of envelops. The latter are positioned on the rest or support with their aps on the under side, and to accommodate the said flaps a downward bulge or curve d2 is formed in plate CZ'. The end of the latter extends beneath the rubber block b5, and said plate is so adjusted as to leave a narrow space for the passage of one envelop at a time. To further aid in guiding and holding the envelops while stacked, we provide two obliquely-arranged guide-rods e, mounted in the outer ends of arms e', fast on rod a', but capable of being adjusted. Theinclination of rods b3 and e is such as to allow the envelops to always bear upon the rest or support C.

E is the discharge-guideway, which extends from the lower end of-the rest or support to a lower horizontal plane on line with the entrance to a press for the feed-supply. This guideway is shown as being composed of three spaced-apart curved plates F, forming each an arc of a circle. These plates have rearward webs f, formed with collars f', held fast on cross-rod a2. The central plate is Somewhat shorter at its lower end than the other plates, so as not to interfere with the operating mechanism of a press. Attached to the side plates, near the lower ends thereof, are spring-fingers f2, which extend inwardly and bear against the upper Surfaces of said plates, so as to slightly hold each envelop as the iingers of the ejector are withdrawn, allowing of the discharge on a straight line, directing each envelop to the tapes (not shown) of the press, and also to arrest the envelops as they reach the lower end of the discharge-guideway, preventing the premature discharge thereof.

G is the ejector, which comprises a rotary shaft g, mounted in sides a, two arms g', keyed on said shaft and having socketed ends g2, and two plate-fingers g3, having rounded ends g4 fitted in said socketed ends. Coil-springs g, projecting from a hole g7 in each arm, bear against said plate-fingers and serve to nora slot g, formed in each of said arms g'. These fingers at their free ends glo are slightly bent, and said ends in the back-and-forth movement of the ejector are held against the curved plates of the discharge guideway. As the ejector starts on its downward movement the ends of the plate-fin gers g3 engage the bottom envelop of the pile or stack, betweenV the body the narrow space between plate D and block 793 and carry it down the curved guideway and beneath the spring-fingers, from whence it is taken by the tapes onto the press. OnV the extended end of shaft g is keyed a wheel h, having a segment of its periphery provided with teeth 7L', with which is designed to engage a toothed bar 71,2, carried by a traveler h3. This traveler consists of two spaced-apart slotted members 7a4, between which the wheel 71J is located, the shaft g being extended through the slots 715 of said members. To the tubular end 7L of this traveler is connected one end of a pitman 717, the other end of which is connected to some rotary part of a press, the rotation of which will impart a back-andforth movement to the shaft g, causing the plate-ngers of the ejector to travel down and up the guideway E.

lThe operation of our feeder will be readl ily understood from what has beensaid.` In practice the envelops are stacked against the rest or support() and in the guidewayB,l the inclined rods e being adjusted on cross-rod a', so as to bear against the ends thereof, and hence the pile or stack is always kept in proper position. Motion being imparted to the rotary shaft g, the fingers of the ejector in their downward movement will engage the lowermost envelop and feed it to the press, one envelop being fed at a time. As the enverse side is facing downward, but on an inoline, and in being passed over the lower guideway it describes an arc of a circle, and as itreaches the lower end of said guideway it has been turned so that its back or reverse side will face upward. Thus it will be seen that the envelops are fed with their backs or reverse sides up, so that the printing will appear on said backs. While the use of our present invention is notlimited to any special press, yet it is particularly applicable to and specially designed for employment in connection with the press shown and described` in Letters Patent No. 577 ,405, granted to us February 16, 1897.

We claim as our inventionl. A feeder of the character herein described having an elevated rest or support for a pile or stack of envelops, the latter being stacked with their fiaps on the under side, and an ejector capable of oscillati-ng in the arc of a circle` and designed to engage the flap of the lowerrnost envelop and carry the same forward and discharge it so that its flap 2. A feeder of the character herein described having an elevated rest or support for a pile or stack of envelops, the latter bei ing stacked with their aps on the under side,

an ejector designed to engage the iiap of the flowermost envelop, and means for guiding the latter so that it will be discharged with l its back orreverse side facing upward, as set g forth. and flap thereof, and force the latter through 3. A feeder of the character herein defscribed having an elevated rest or support g for a pile or stack of envelops, thc latter being stacked with their aps on the underside, an ejector designed to engage the flap of the i' lowermost envelop, andY a curved guideway forming an arc of a circle over which the envelop is carried by said ejector so that it will be discharged therefrom with its back or reverse side facing upward, as set forth.

4. A feeder of the character herein described, comprising a rest or support for a pile or stack of envelops, a curved guideway extending below said rest or support with its lower end on a horizontal plane, and an ejector capable of having an oscillating movement beneath said pile or stack so as to en-, gage the ap ofthe lowermost envelop, and to discharge the latter with its back or reverse side facing upwaid, as set forth.

5. A feeder of the character herein described, comprising an inclined elevated rest or support,l and an upper inclined guideway for a pile or stack of envelops, a lower discharge-guideway extending from said rest or support to a lower horizontal plane, and an ejector capable of having an oscillating movement beneath said pile or stack of envelops V. and adapted to engage the iap of the lowermost envelop thereof and to discharge the latter with its back or reverse side facing upward, as set forth. velop leaves the pile or stack its back orV rel support to a lower horizontal plane, and an oscillating rock-shaft carrying fingers deg or reverse side will face upward, as set forth. 1 inally hold them against the upper wall g.s of

signed to engage the iiap of one of the en- .velops of said pile or stack and eject the same from said rest or support and carry it over said curved guideway, substantially as set forth.

7. The feeder herein described comprising an elevated -rest or support and an upper guideway for a pile or stack of envelops, a lower guideway forming an arc of a circle extending from said rest or support to a lower horizontal plane, and an oscillating rockshaft carrying spring pressed fingers designed to travel beneath said rest and bear against the upper surface of said lower guideway, said ngers being designed to engage the Hap of one of`the envelops of said pile or stack and carry the same over said lower guideway, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination with an elevated rest or support for a pile or stack of envelops, of a rock-shaft and ngers carried by said shaft designed to pass back of and engage the iap of the lowermost envelop of saidpile or stack and to convey the same over a curved plane, substantially as set forth. V

9. The combination with an elevated rest or support for a pile or stack of envelops, of a rock-shaft, fingers carried by said rock-shaft designed to pass back of and engage the flap of the lower-most envelop of said pile or stack and convey the same over a curved plane, and

a guide or support for said envelop while being so conveyed, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination with the frame, of the rest or support and guideway on the upper portion thereof designed to hold a pile or stack of envelops, a lower curved guideway supported by said frame and extending from said rest or support, and an oscillating rock-shaft carrying iin gers designed to pass back of and engage the flap of the lowermost envelop of said pile or stack and convey the same over said curved guideway, substantially as set forth.

1l. The combination with the frame, of the upper inclined guideway and the rest or support for a pile or stack of envelops having a bar extended beneath said guideway and formed with a bend or curve, a lower inclined guideway, and an ejector designed to travel back and forth beneath said rest or support and over said inclined guideway, .said ejector being adapted to engage the flap of the lowerinost one of said pile or stack of envelops, substantially as set forth.

12. The combination with the frame having two upper cross-rods, of the inclined guiderods secured to one of said cross-rods, the rest or support mounted on the other one of said cross-rods and comprising a central bar and A two upper cross-rods and a lower cross-rod, of

the inclined guide-rods secured to one of said upper cross-rods, the inclined rest or support secured to the other one of said upper crossrods, the series of curved plates secured to said lower cross-rod. and the rock-shaft carrying fingers adapted to engage the flap of the lowermost one of a pile or stack of envelops, substantially as set forth.

14. The combination with the elevated rest or support and the lower curved guideway, of the oscillating shaft, the arms mounted thereon having slots therein, fingers fitted in said slots, and springs for normally holding said fingers against one of the Walls of said slots, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed this specification in the presence of the subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES G. HARRIS. JOHN F. MONUTT.

Witnesses as to Chas. G. Harris:

J. NOTA MCGILL,

JAS. H. BLACKWOOD. Titnesses as to John F. McNutt:

GEO. W. UPToN,

GEO. D. KIRKHAM. 

